Truck towing system

Abstract

A truck towing system is described. The truck towing system provides for a first truck to tow a second truck in a back to front relationship, i.e., the front portion of the second truck (the towed truck) is connected or attached to a rear portion of the first truck (the towing truck). The truck towing system includes an upper member to connect with a first truck. A middle member joins the upper member and a lower member in a fixed engagement. The lower member supports a front portion of a second truck. A beam member is engaged to the lower member. The beam member connects to a rear portion of the second truck.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A truck towing system, comprising:
 an upper member; 
 a connection assembly comprising a tube, a front portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with a first truck; 
 a rear portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with the upper member; 
 a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement; 
 the lower member supports a front portion of a second truck; 
 a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member; 
 the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the second truck; 
 wherein the connection assembly is a kingpin connection assembly, a coupler plate is mounted to a front portion of the tube, and a kingpin is mounted to the coupler plate; and 
 wherein a rear portion of the tube is configured to removably slide into a generally hollow interior of a front portion of the upper member. 
 
     
     
       2. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the tube is linearly shaped. 
     
     
       3. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection assembly includes a frame connection assembly and the kingpin connection assembly, and one of the frame connection assembly and the kingpin connection assembly are removably engaged or connected with the upper member. 
     
     
       4. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection assembly is configured to be replaced with a different connection assembly. 
     
     
       5. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear portion of the tube has an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of the front portion of the upper member. 
     
     
       6. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the kingpin includes a mounting plate portion and a kingpin portion, the kingpin portion passes through a central circular opening of the coupler plate, and the mounting plate portion is welded or otherwise fastened to the coupler plate with the kingpin portion pointing downward. 
     
     
       7. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the rear portion of the tube includes one or more sets of openings passing through lateral sides of the tube, a front portion of the upper member includes one or more sets of openings passing through lateral sides of the front portion, and removable fasteners pass through the openings of the lateral sides of the tube and the openings of the lateral sides of the front portion, and the fasteners hold the rear portion of the tube in the front portion of the upper member. 
     
     
       8. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam member slides in and out of an interior of the lower member, the beam member slides to a collapsed configuration, and the beam member slides to an extended configuration. 
     
     
       9. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the truck towing system is adjustable in length by extending or retracting the beam member relative to the lower member, wherein the beam member slides in and out of a rear opening of the lower member. 
     
     
       10. The truck towing system according to  claim 1 , wherein the beam member includes a first transport opening and a second transport opening, and the lower member includes a third transport opening, and the beam member is withdrawn or retracted such that the first transport opening is aligned with the third transport opening in the lower member. 
     
     
       11. A truck towing system, comprising;
 an upper member; 
 a connection assembly comprising a tube, a front portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with a first truck; 
 a rear portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with the upper member; 
 a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement; 
 the lower member supports a front portion of a second truck; 
 a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member; 
 the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the second truck; 
 wherein the connection assembly is a kingpin connection assembly, a coupler plate is mounted to a front portion of the tube, and a kingpin is mounted to the coupler plate; and 
 wherein a rear portion of the tube has an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of a front portion of the upper member. 
 
     
     
       12. A truck towing system, comprising:
 an upper member; 
 a frame connection assembly configured to removably engage or connect with a first truck; 
 the frame connection assembly configured to removably engage or connect with the upper member; 
 a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement; 
 the lower member supports a front portion of a second truck; 
 a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member; 
 the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the second truck; 
 the frame connection assembly includes a tube, and a hitch tube is mounted to a lower surface of the tube generally perpendicular to the tube; and 
 wherein mounting gussets are welded to the lower surface of the tube and to a rear surface of the hitch tube, and one or more hitch rods are welded to the lower surface of the tube or to a rear surface of the hitch tube. 
 
     
     
       13. A truck towing system, comprising:
 an upper member; 
 a connection assembly comprising a tube, a front portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with a first truck; 
 a rear portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with the upper member; 
 a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement; 
 the lower member supports a front portion of a second truck; 
 a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member; 
 the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the second truck; 
 wherein the connection assembly is a frame connection assembly and a hitch tube is mounted to a lower surface of the tube generally perpendicular to the tube; 
 wherein the rear portion of the tube has an outer diameter less than an inner diameter of a front portion of the upper member. 
 
     
     
       14. A truck towing system, comprising:
 an upper member; 
 a connection assembly comprising a tube, a front portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with a first truck; 
 a rear portion of the tube configured to removably engage or connect with the upper member; 
 a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement; 
 the lower member supports a front portion of a second truck; 
 a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member; 
 the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the second truck; 
 wherein the connection assembly is a frame connection assembly and a hitch tube is mounted to a lower surface of the tube generally perpendicular to the tube; 
 wherein the tube of the connection assembly is solid, hollow, or partially hollow; 
 wherein the rear portion of the tube is configured to removably slide into a generally hollow interior of a front portion of the upper member. 
 
     
     
       15. The truck towing system according to  claim 14 , wherein the rear portion of the tube includes one or more sets of openings passing through lateral sides of the tube, the front portion of the upper member includes one or more sets of openings passing through lateral sides of the front portion, and removable fasteners pass through the openings of the lateral sides of the tube and the openings of the lateral sides of the front portion, and the fasteners hold the rear portion of the tube in the front portion of the upper member. 
     
     
       16. A truck towing system for use with a saddle mount or a kingpin mount, comprising:
 an upper member; 
 a connection assembly configured to removably engage or connect with a towing truck having a saddle mount or a kingpin mount, wherein the connection assembly is a frame connection assembly or a kingpin connection assembly; 
 a rear portion of the connection assembly includes a linear shaped tube that is configured to removably engage or connect with the upper member; 
 a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement; 
 the lower member configured to support a front portion of a towed truck; 
 a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member; 
 the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the towed truck; and 
 wherein the tube is configured to removably slide into an interior of a front portion of the upper member. 
 
     
     
       17. The truck towing system according to  claim 16 , wherein the beam member includes a first transport opening and a second transport opening, and the lower member includes a third transport opening, and the beam member is withdrawn or retracted such that the first transport opening is aligned with the third transport opening in the lower member. 
     
     
       18. A method of converting a truck towing system for use with a saddle mount or a kingpin mount, comprising:
 providing an upper member and a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement, the lower member configured to support a front portion of a towed truck; 
 providing a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member, and the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the towed truck; 
 determining whether a towing truck has a saddle mount or a kingpin mount; 
 providing a frame connection assembly with a first tube and providing a kingpin connection assembly with a second tube; 
 engaging or connecting the frame connection assembly or the kingpin connection assembly with the upper member, the frame connection assembly configured to removably engage or connect with the saddle mount of the towing truck, and the kingpin connection assembly configured to removably engage or connect with the kingpin mount of the towing truck; and 
 sliding a rear portion of the first tube or the second tube into an interior of a front portion of the upper member. 
 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 18 , further comprising disengaging or disconnecting the frame connection assembly or the kingpin connection assembly from the upper member. 
     
     
       20. A method of using of a truck towing system comprising:
 providing an upper member and a lower member, wherein the lower member joins the upper member in a fixed engagement, the lower member configured to support a front portion of a towed truck; 
 providing a beam member, the beam member engaged to the lower member, and the beam member configured to connect to a rear portion of the towed truck; 
 providing a frame connection assembly and a kingpin connection assembly; 
 selecting the frame connection assembly or the kingpin connection assembly to provide a selected connection assembly, the frame connection assembly configured to engage a saddle mount of a towing truck and the kingpin connection assembly configured to engage a kingpin mount of the towing truck; 
 engaging the selected connection assembly with the upper member; and 
 inserting a rear portion of the selected connection assembly into an interior of a front portion of the upper member. 
 
     
     
       21. The method of using of a truck towing system according to  claim 20 , further comprising fastening the rear portion of the selected connection assembly to the front portion of the upper member. 
     
     
       22. The method of using of a truck towing system according to  claim 20 , further comprising removing the selected connection assembly from the upper member, and replacing the selected connection assembly with the other of the frame connection assembly or the kingpin connection assembly. 
     
     
       23. The method of using of a truck towing system according to  claim 20 , further comprising connecting the rear portion of the towed truck to the beam member and connecting the selected connection assembly to the towing truck.